Connection fitting for water treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to a connection fitting for water treatment apparatus, comprising a body which can be connected to the apparatus, said body being provided with a passage, normally closed by a plug, for pouring various products into the apparatus, with a second passage for the entry of nontreated water, and with a third passage for the outflow of the treated water.

United States Patent [191 Dujardyn [4 1 Jan. 21, 1975 CONNECTION FITTING FOR WATER TREATMENT APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Raoul C. Dujardyn,

Rollegemsestraat 25, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium [22] Filed: May 2, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 356,379

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 3, 1972 Belgium 52017 [52] U.S. C1 137/590, 137/268, 137/592, 137/599.1, 210/281 [51] Int. Cl B0111 41/00 [58] Field of Search 210/281; 23/267 F, 272.6 R, 23/2728; 137/268, 584, 588, 590, 592,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,125 3/1924 Kline 137/599.1 X

1,689,308 10/1928 Stickney 210/281 1,985,162 12/1934 Gilles 210/281 X 2,195,616 4/1940 Chesson 23/2728 2,754,263 7/1956 Spaulding, Jr. et a1. .1 210/281 X 3,171,427 3/1965 McAlpine 137/268 3,215,273 11/1965 Kryzer l37/599.l X 3,266,870 8/1966 Cianflone, Jr. 23/267 F UX 3,707,233 12/1972 Lerner 210/281 X Primary Examiner-Robert G. Nilson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bacon & Thomas [5 7 ABSTRACT The invention pertains to a connection fitting for water treatment apparatus, comprising a body which can be connected to the apparatus, said body being provided with a passage, normally closed by a plug, for pouring various products into the apparatus, with a second passage for the entry of nontreated water, and with a third passage for the outflow of the treated water.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures CONNECTION FITTING FOR WATER TREATMENT APPARATUS The present invention pertains to a connection fitting for all sorts of water treatment apparatus, as for example water softeners.

It is well known that such apparatus require holes in and/or through the shell for the penetration of piping, connections and similar elements. Later on, the holes must be sealed around the piping.

Work of this sort does not only entail an increase in labour time, with a resulting cost increase of the finished product, but also certain inconveniences, by no means less important, due to the fact that the shell finish specifications are more severe, and such particularly at the locations around the pipe penetrations.

Usually such apparatus are provided with two fittings, respectively an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting,

' located at different heights, whereby the connection of the apparatus to the piping of the dwelling calls for work by specialists, and such after positioning of the apparatus. The craftsman, in the present case the plumber, must be specially required to connect an apparatus of this sort to the house plumbing.

The difficulties are greater still when an apparatus of this sort, for instance a water softener, has to be connected to more than two, for instance to four pipes.

The subject of the present invention is a connection fitting for water treatment apparatus which is designed in such a way that it comprises all the required connections and can be fitted, as is, to the apparatus of which it becomes an integral part.

In this manner, it is no longer required to drill through the apparatus shell; the pipes have no longer to be fitted in the aforementioned holes; the holes around these pipes need no longer be sealed; no finish whatever is required of the shell at the locations where holes have been drilled.

The house piping can thus be installed efficiently and in a simple way at the required location, and this before the fitting of the apparatus. Anyone can connect such an apparatus when equipped with a connection fitting according to the present invention; no professional knowledge is required.

This connection fitting offers yet a further advantage: it is provided with a gasket which can easily be removed for the purpose, for instance, of pouring salt into the apparatus or of cleaning the latter; the automatic cleaning operation can be carried out in either of the flow directions.

In order to better emphasize the characteristics of the present invention, the description of a preferred form of embodiment is given below, with reference to the appended drawings, and this merely as an example and without any limitation. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 schematically is an axial section through a water treatment apparatus, in the present case a water softener, fitted with a connection fitting according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the indoor piping to which this apparatus can easily be attached;

FIG. 3 shows, to a larger scale, a plan view of the connection fitting according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a section along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section along line V-V of FIG. 4.

In FIG. 1, the connection fitting according to the invention is adapted to a water softener. The latter mainly consists, as is generally known, of a shell 1 into which a certain quantity of quartz 2 and a certain quantity of rosin 3 have been placed; embedded in the quartz is a strainer 4 which surrounds the free end of a piezometric tube 5. The latter is connected to a connection fitting 6 which is the subject of the invention; this connection fitting is in its turn attached to shell 1.

Aforesaid connection fitting 6, of which a more detailed description is given below, is fixed with piezometric tube 5 and strainer 4 in shell 1, and such before filling with the quartz 2 and rosin 3. As will be seen be low, the connection fitting is provided with an opening through which a product, such as salt for instance, can be poured into the water softener; this same opening, in the same form of embodiment, is used during assembly for the introduction of quartz 2 and of rosin 3.

The connections of a softener of this sort are provided within the connection fitting 6, as opposed to what is done in conventional apparatus of this sort in which the pipes, for instance 7-8, are fitted through shell 1.

FIG. 2 shows that part of the indoor piping which can be installed in advance; the connection of an apparatus fitted with a connection fitting 6 according to the invention thus becomes a very easy operation.

The plumber may in fact fit a tap 10 in hard water pipe 9 and provide the free end 11 of the latter with a collared nut, in order to assure an easy attachment to connection fitting 6. At the same height and at an appropriate distance from pipe end 11, the plumber shall locate end 12 of the soft water outflow pipe 13, which must also be fitted with a collared nut. This pipe shall also be provided with a shut off tap 14. The lines are interconnected by pipes, respectively 15 and 16, provided with shut off taps l7 and 18. Two further pipes, respectively 19 and 20, are moreover provided, ends 21 and 22 of which also being fitted with collared nuts, and this to provide for an easy connection to connection fitting 6. Pipe 19 is fitted with taps 23 and 24 and pipe with taps 2S and 26.

Pipe 19 shall always be downwardly directed, whereas the direction of pipe 20 depends upon the location of the discharge to the drain.

In this form of embodiment, connection fitting 6 mainly consists of a cylindrical body 27 which, at its lower end, comprises .a portion of smaller diameter which is threaded on the outside and can be engaged into the internal threading provided for this purpose in shell 1.

Lower face 30 of cylindrical part 27 is provided with a groove 31 into which a sealing ring 32 can be fitted.

Through body 27 and part 28, an eccentrically placed bore 33 is provided which, at its upper end is threaded and further leads into a widening or chamber 35.

A stopper plug 36 may be engaged in threaded portion 34; it is provided with a sealing ring which, when tightened, seals against the bottom surface of aforesaid chamber or seat 35.

Moreover, two blind holes 3839 are provided from bottom to top through part 28 and part of body 27 and lead into two further blind holes 40-41 bored horizontally and parallel to each other in aforesaid body 27.

In this case, passage 41-39 constitutes the hard water inlet piping into the water softener, whereas passage 38-40 serves as soft water outlet.

Passage or bores 40 and 41 are provided, at their part which is directed towards the circumferential border of body 27, with a slightly wider internally threaded portion, respectively 43-42, to which are connected fittings, respectively 44 and 45. At their other free ends, respectively 46 and 47, these fittings are also provided with a threaded portion, which can be connected by means of the collared nuts provided at extremities 11 and 12 of pipes 9 and 13 to the latter.

Fittings 46 and 47 are moreover provided with tappings, respectively 48 and 49, which are threaded so as to permit the connection to the collared nuts of pipes 20 and 19 respectively.

In bore 38 the upper end of piping 50 is fitted, which, below the bottom face of bore 38 has an oblique part 51 extended by a straight portion 52. Part 52 is located along the center line A-A of part 6 and is provided at the bottom and on the inside with a peripheral groove 53 for a sealing ring 54.

Pipe 5, which enters freely into part 52, is thus automatically placed in the center of the shell, provided connection fitting 6 is duly screwed to shell 1.

Finally, a strainer 55 is inserted through opening 39.

In this manner a connection fitting 6 is obtained which simultaneously comprises the connections for hard water, for soft water and for regeneration, and in which is provided a hole or passage which permits the easy introduction of the necessary salt into the water softener, whenever required.

To assemble the apparatus, it is sufficient to insert pipe fitted with strainer 4 into portion 52 of the piping; the sealing ring does not only assure an adequate sealing, but also the fixing of pipe 5 in connection fitting 6. This assembly is then introduced into shell 1 and is solidly attached by means of screw thread 29; the sealing ring assures the required sealing.

After removing threaded plug 36, an adequate quantity of quartz 2 and of rosin 3 is poured into shell 1 through bore 33; subsequently, the threaded plug is refitted and the apparatus is ready for installation.

In order to install an apparatus of this kind, it will be sufficient to bring it near to pipes 11-12-21-22, which have already been installed in the appropriate location, and to bring fittings 44-45-48 and 49 opposite the collared nuts, which are then tightened.

For softening the water, this apparatus operates exactly like any other apparatus; the only difference resides in the fact that the filling in of the salt occurs in a very simple way, through connection fitting 6 after removing threaded plug 36.

The hard water is fed through pipe 9 and passes through the apparatus via tap 10. After having been softened, it is evacuated via tap l4 and pipe 13. At this time, taps 17-18-23-25 and 26 are closed.

In order to clean thoroughly the apparatus, the rosin being detached tap 10 is closed, whereas taps l7 and 23 are opened; tap 14 remains open and taps 18- 24-25- and 26 are closed.

In these circumstances, water passes through taps l7 and 14, reaches pipe 5 through tap l2 and rises through rosin 3, detaching same and draining away the impurities. It is subsequently evacuated via strainer 55, which prevents the rosin from flowing away, through pipes 19 or 20 into the drain, this depending upon which tap 24 or 26 is open at that time. Both pipes 19 and 20 lead to the drain.

In order to regenerate the rosin, tap 25 as well as taps 24 and 26 are opened, all the remaining taps being closed.

Shell 1 being under water pressure, the opening of tap 25 will entail the elimination of this pressure whereby the liquid within the shell will flow out, a natural siphon being indeed formed by pipe 19. In this manner, a space is provided for pouring in the salt or similar products without causing the apparatus to overflow. Next, plug 36 is again fitted and tap l0 opened; in this manner, hard water is supplied through strainer 53, the salt being dissolved so as to evacuate superfluous products and the impurities through tap 25 and pipe 19 or 20.

It is quite obvious that the apparatus thus obtained is not only more moderate in price and easier to construct, finish and install, but that the connection of such an apparatus to the house plumbing can easily be carried out by any layman. Connection fitting 6 moreover permits a simple and efficient regeneration of the apparatus.

Finally, the cost price of such an apparatus can further be reduced due to the fact that connection fitting 6 shall preferably be fabricated out of some plastic material, thus being cheap to produce in large quantities, by molding or such like.

The present invention is by no means limited to the form of embodiment described merely as an example and schematically shown in appended drawings; a connection fitting of this sort may in fact be of any shape or dimension, without departing from the scope of the present invention. It may further be noted that a connection fitting of this sort is appropriate for any water treatment or similar apparatus.

It is quite obvious that modifications of various nature may be applied, by any man skilled in the art, to the devices and processes as described above merely as a non-restrictive example, without going beyond the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is:

1. Connection fitting adapted to be removably attached in an opening in a water treatment tank to provide for filling with water treatment products and for placing in communication with a supply conduit of nontreated water, with a discharge conduit for treated water and with a drain, said connection fitting comprising a body having a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall and with first, second and third passages, said first passage extending eccentrically between the bottom and top walls of said body and being adapted to removably receive a closure plug, said second and third passages being mutually parallel and being L-shaped with a first branch extending to the side wall of said body and prolongated with a tube-shaped part adapted to be removably connected to said supply and discharge conduits and with a second branch extending to the bottom of said body, the second branch of one of said second and third passages being prolongated by a tube-shaped part at least the free end of which is located in the center of said body, and said tubular parts prolongating said first branches being each provided with a lateral tubular extension adapted to be removably attached to said drain. 

1. Connection fitting adapted to be removably attached in an opening in a water treatment tank to provide for filling with water treatment products and for placing in communication with a supply conduit of nontreated water, with a discharge conduit for treated water and with a drain, said connection fitting comprising a body having a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall and with first, second and third passages, said first passage extending eccentrically between the bottom and top walls of said body and being adapted to removably receive a closure plug, said second and third passages being mutually parallel and being L-shaped with a first branch extending to the side wall of said body and prolongated with a tube-shaped part adapted to be removably connected to said supply and discharge conduits and with a second branch extending to the bottom of said body, the second branch of one of said second and third passages being prolongated by a tube-shaped part at least the free end of which is located in the center of said body, and said tubular parts prolongating said first branches being each provided with a lateral tubular extension adapted to be removably attached to said drain. 